Resurfaced footage shows moment Princess Anne 'softened' with pride for Zara Tindall
The moment was described by a royal commentator as a "delight to watch".
The Princess Royal is often cold and collected, not revealing much of her emotions to the general public. But a resurfaced video of a moment between her and her daughter Zara Tindall sees her “soften” with pride.
Twenty years ago, Zara Tindall was competing at the European Eventing Championships at Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire. The then-24-year-old went on to win the cross-country event, being crowned champion. Her mother, Princess Anne, was visibly moved by Zara’s win. Anne, who also won gold at the championships in 1971, was a “proud mother” and hugged Zara warmly. Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams told the Mail that the princess is often seen as “severe and impervious”, which is why seeing her “sheer, undiluted joy” at Zara’s win “a delight to watch”. He said: “What was significant, and softened Princess Anne's image, was when the public saw them rejoicing together and hugging each other, and therefore could rejoice with them all the more.”
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Royal fans found the clip online and praised Princess Anne as an “amazing mother”, noting her “special bond” with Zara. One said: “I was always under the impression that Princess Anne said she wasn't maternal. What an amazing mom she made.”
Another TikTok user said: “[Anne] seems to be such an affectionate mum. A third added that Anne and Zara were “not just mother and daughter but best friends”.
During BBC’s Inside Sport programme to commemorate Princess Anne’s 60th birthday in 2010, Zara said: “I would like to be as good a mother as she's been.”
Zara, now 44, has been married to former rugby player Mike Tindall since 2011, and the pair have three children, Mia Grace (born 2014), Lena Elizabeth (born 2018), and Lucas Philip (born 2021).
Princess Anne’s other child, Peter Philips, also spoke in the programme, saying Anne was “great fun” and “the one laughing the loudest”. Zara also told viewers: “She loves a good dance, she's good on her feet.”
Anne and Zara’s love of horse riding persists, with the pair recently attending the World Horse Welfare conference at London's Royal Geographical Society on November 21.
